Find a mentor

Key points from the data:

• Working with a mentor may be very beneficial for applicants.
• Applicants should realise it is they who must 'do the work'; not the mentor!

While Agnes (D-size institution) was the only interviewee to mention the benefit of having a mentor to discuss ideas for learning and teaching in general or with a particular project in mind, it is an important recommendation. She said, 'Have some specific questions, some specific ideas and a framework' and approach someone for a discussion about mentoring.

I've always, in my life, had some fabulous mentors ... I had a couple of them here at that time and I've always been a person to consult with my mentors and listen to them, their expertise. At the time, of course, I've gleaned their expertise but then there's other people you can learn from about different things.

Agnes (D) said it was important to understand the different roles of the mentor and mentee:

The applicant needs to put in a lot of energy and time into thinking about, with their own frame of mind and their own space because I think sometimes there's an expectation that a mentor or someone in that (role) is going to sit down and edit and write and pull it together. They're not and you've got to own it as well to be able to execute it.